Money Monday: Seven Ways to Improve Your Credit Score

Make sure your credit score is the best that it can be.

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Money, Money, Money - Whether you are buying a car, signing the lease for a new apartment or purchasing your own health insurance, someone is probably going to pull your credit report and use it to determine your loan terms, pinpoint an interest rate and/or make a final decision on your request. Known as a FICO (Fair Isaac Company) score, your credit rating is based on accumulated information that tells potential lenders whether or not you’ll pay back your obligations on time and in full. Scores range from 300 to 850 and the higher the number, the better. It pays to keep your score as high as possible. Here are seven easy ways to start doing that today. - Bridget McCrea(Photo: PhotoAlto/Frederic Cirou)

Pull Your Own Credit Report - Visit AnnualCreditReport.com to obtain a free copy of your credit report. The site is run by the three largest credit reporting agencies in the U.S. and offers free annual credit reports, as required by federal law.(Photo: Courtesy of AnnualCreditReport.com)

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Pull Your Own Credit Report - Visit AnnualCreditReport.com to obtain a free copy of your credit report. The site is run by the three largest credit reporting agencies in the U.S. and offers free annual credit reports, as required by federal law.(Photo: Courtesy of AnnualCreditReport.com)

Once I Join a League, How Do I Choose a Team? - Like the real NFL, there is a draft and the person who gets first pick is typically chosen via a lottery. You can be creative, but standard teams typically have 12 players of various positions and a pointing system with the most points going to the quarterback plays. It is imperative to know the stats of your players to earn the most points based on performance.(Photo: Comstock Images/Getty Images)

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Review Your Score - Look at your overall score, open lines of credit and payment history. Identify any inaccurate information and report it immediately to the credit bureau by phone.(Photo: Getty/STOCK)

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Get the Errors Removed - Once you've reported a discrepancy, you may be asked to follow up in writing. The credit agency then has 30 days to review the request and contact the creditor about the problem. If the agency can't verify the accuracy of the information within that time frame it must remove the error from your report.(Photo: Blend Images/Hill Street Studios/Getty)

Expand the Earned Income Tax Credit - The Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit provides an average tax cut of about $800. The president would like Congress to expand the credit to workers who do not have children, including non-custodial parents. The administration believes this will "provide a more meaningful work incentive." (Photo: Jeremy Woodhouse/Getty Images)

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Pay Your Bills on Time - Once you know where you stand, credit-wise, start proactively improving your score. One of the easiest ways to do this is by paying all bills on or before their due dates. If you've missed payments, get current and stay current.\r(Photo: Jeremy Woodhouse)

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Getting Digital - Online courses at colleges and universities offer flexible options for busy students, and millions of students nationwide are taking advantage. In the 2012 Survey of Online Learning published by the Babson Survey Research Group on Jan. 8, more than 6.7 million students said they took at least one online course during the fall 2011 term, up 570,000 students from the previous year. (Photo: Getty Images/STOCK)

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Set Up Payment Reminders - Some banks and creditors provide payment reminders (via an email or text that simply says, "your payment is due in 10 days", for example). Use these services to your advantage, particularly if you routinely miss due dates by a day or two.(Photo: Geri Lavrov)

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Don’t Overdo It With Credit Applications - Every inquiry or "hit" on your credit report alerts other lenders that you are looking around for money, so try to avoid filling out too many applications at once. \r(Photo: Minneapolis Star Tribune/MCT /Landov)

Everybody's Working for the Weekend - Among the most difficult conditions to bear in the workplace, 33 percent of Americans said on-the-job stress was the worst, according to a Gallup poll released Nov. 12. Twenty-eight percent said they were dissatisfied with the amount of money they make. (Photo: GettyImages)

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Steer Clear of Quick Fixes - Don't fall prey to companies that promise to "fix your credit in 30 days!" The credit-repair process takes time and most of those quick-fix efforts will backfire (and cost you money). Instead, use the above tips to gradually increase your score and improve your chances of getting the credit, loan, mortgage, or insurance coverage that you want. This flipbook has been prepared for informational purposes only. The accuracy and completeness of this information is not guaranteed and is subject to change. Since each individual's financial situation is unique, you need to review your financial objectives to determine which approaches might work best for you.(Photo: Thomas Barwick/STOCK)